So I haven't done much traveling, especially in the latter half of my life. Been pretty much working behind the counter or home writing for my adult life.
On a whim, I booked a trip to Australia. What inspired me is that my friends Wes and Ev are in residency for a couple of years, so we could stay with them for awhile. That was the one smart thing I did on the trip.
I did very little planning, and boy does it show. I think I did this in about the most expensive way possible. So without further ado, what I've learned (which would be particularly helpful the next time I visit Australia--which will be never.)
1.) When they say get there early for your flight, they really mean it; especially for international flights. Nearly missed our flight out of Hawaii.
2.) Book a round trip, stupid. Save some money. And while you're at it, collect some flyer miles. (Actually, we may have gotten lucky with getting away with booking a one way trip...)
3.) Sign up for some hotel program or another that allows you to cash in bonus points for free stays. Comfort Inns are about Linda and my speed. In fairness to my own stupidity, it didn't occur to me that the program would be available in Australia until the last third of the trip.
4.) If you're going to rent a car for a long road trip, make sure it gets good gas mileage. Didn't even occur to me until we were well into our trip.
5.) Speaking of road trips. While they are fun, they are also exhausting, so it might be better to do more staying in one place for a longer period of time.
6.) So some of the touristy things. While I particularly loved visiting the small towns, driving down country roads, going for nature walks, I suspect I'll remember more the stuff Wes and Ev planned for us: a sanctuary visit to feed kangaroos, the March of the Penguins, going out to dinner with them.
We're going to be in Sydney for the last five days of the trip and I've decided to do the tourist thing: the Opera House, the aquarium, stuff like that. I hadn't intended to do that but we flew 8000 freaking miles to get here so get some of those memories.
7.) Figure out the things you'll need that the country won't provide. (For us, it was electrical adapters; sharing is fine, but better for each person to have their own.) I've traveled this whole trip without cash, which maybe isn't the smartest thing to do. Need my coffee in the morning, in a certain way. Need my soda with ice (what the hell, Australia? What do you got against ice?)
8.) Most people don't care you're from another country, so unless they ask, don't make a big deal of it.
9.) Carry a small back pocket (or purse) notebook with essential info and a place to keep notes. Things will occur to you along the way that you'll want to remember. A phone is great, but having the backup of a notebook is very reassuring.
10.) Speaking of phones, don't get all cheap like Linda and I did and have only one phone hooked up for international service. Really stupid.
11.) The small differences are unavoidable and a constant pain in the ass. Just figure they are going to happen.
12.) GPS. Of course, but I hadn't realized how important it was.
13.) Don't bring your homework with you. You'll never get to it, so it's a waste of space. On the other hand, you'll read more than you expect (lack of TV?).
14.) Pack light. No really. You can do laundry.
15.) More underwear, less pants. Only need one over-shirt (or sweater) but don't forget a light coat if you're headed for spring, winter, or fall. I could have gotten away with two pairs of jeans. Right number of shirts, about four. Light shoes will cover most everything, including hikes.
I'm going to remember more things and will add them later, but there's a beginning list.
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